An operator cabin in which the vehicle operator is stationed during operation of the vehicles may be mounted on the vehicle chassis in a manner that affords the operator a commanding view of the machine. Yet, often the field of view of an operator may be obstructed by various components of the machine. Structural frame members, actuators, booms, exhaust pipes and the like are examples of necessary components of certain work vehicles that may become an obstruction of the operator's field of view. Some large platform machines are particularly susceptible to this issue, especially where the working tool of the machine is required to be at an inconvenient location from the operator's perspective, such as at a far forward or rearward position or at a low to the ground position.
A motor grader is one example of a work vehicle that has a very long wheel base with the operator cabin perched on the central frame at a mid- to rear-frame mounting location. The operator cabin is also located above and closely behind the rotating turntable or “circle” that supports the moldboard or blade of the grader. The low and close position of the blade with respect to the operator cabin, and its position beneath the central frame, may contribute to a sharp viewing angle that makes it difficult for the operator to see the position of the blade, especially the “toe” and “heel” ends of the blade, at one or more pivot angles on the circle. At times, these may be the critical areas to see in order to ensure proper positioning of the blade. Moreover, the long wheel base of motor graders leaves many components between the operator cabin and the steered wheels at the front of the machine, which may interfere with the operator's ability to see the articulation and lean of the steered wheels. An inability to readily observe the critical working areas in complicated machines, like motor graders, may contribute to imprecise control and operation of the vehicle.